Disappointed in my clinical rotation..

[robdob]

I've started my clinical rotation in medicine, and I'm really disappointed in the unit i've been placed in. All my friends are in hospital with a variety of seriously ill, acute patients. My medicine floor is mostly older adults, with CHF, pneumonia, etc. I'm not trying to say that these patients are any less valuable or anything like that, but I hope to work in the ICU or emergency when I graduate, and I would do anything to get more learning opportunities than will be available on my floor. How can I get the most out of my rotation?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Well, first off do not complain. The type of patient you are describing comprise the bulk of ER and ICU patient populations. (In other words, it ain't all 'Life in the ER'). You can learn a heck of a lot regarding time management, assessment and common medications. New grads seldom get hired into critical care/ ED. So become proficient at caring for the type of patient presented to you.

Seriously, the LAST thing you want to do is complain about the 'quality' of patient assignment in clinicals. (Not saying you have- just a word to the wise!)

[PixieRN14]

Out of curiosity, what semester are you in? I am in my last semester and have been on various floors and these type of patients comprise the bulk of what I have seen. There are many learning opportunities with these patients.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

In addition to what meanmaryjean stated:

Get the most out of your clinical rotation by being objective; use the nursing process to understand and care for your patients; learn about prioritizing and planning for your patients; make yourself available for learning opportunities such as education/teaching the patient about their illness, discharge planning, care coordination, if that is utilized on the unit you are on; you will need a good grasp of that in your nursing practice no matter where you go.

[Dranger]

Get used to it, traumas don't happen all of the time. 90% of patients will be older with CHF, pneumonia, COPD, Renal failure, DKA, A-fib or some other chronic condition.

You do realize it is VERY hard to get an ICU or ED job right out of school right? Like close to 0 unless you can snag a residency that hundreds apply for....

[loriangel14, RN]

Take every placement as a learning opportunity. You get out of it what you put in. Sure it's not as "glamorous" as the ER or ICU but like the others have said, these are the people you will be largely dealing with.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

You will see a lot of pneumonia, CHF, etc in ER. And never under estimate how quickly an older person with pneumonia can turn on you.

[Compassion_x]

But med-surg is where you gain valuable skills that will allow you to work in the ICU or ER in the future. You have to start low and build up. It's HIGHLY unlikely you're going to go from nursing student to critical care nurse. You need experience first

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

I've started my clinical rotation in medicine

No, you are doing a nursing clinical. Not medicine (unless you are a med student?)

How can I get the most out of my rotation?

By being curious, by looking up every medication you run across, all of your patients' comorbidities, and honing your assessment skills. By talking to your patients. By watching nurses who do their work well. By paying attention. Asking this question is a good place to start :)

[Mewsin]

Really? I think we all get that this is a nursing student. Next semester I do a nursing clinical rotation on medicine, I don't think we need to get not picky.

My advice, learn as much as you can you never know when things will go downhill on medicine. I was actually on our medicine wing for part of my clinicals this semester we experienced someone having autonomic dysreflexia. It may seem mundane but there is a lot to learn and do there.

[kfitzy89]

I've found that every experience is what you make of it. I was on the neuro floor for my med-surg II rotation and had NO interest in Neuro whatsoever. My instructor even apologized to me as it was my very last choice on my preference list. That set aside, I reassured her that not everyone can get what they want and went into it with an open mind. Make yourself interested, show the other nurses that you want to learn and be involved and they will go out of their way to teach and show you things. I still do not care for neuro to this day, but I learned a great deal during that rotation by staying positive. Hang in there, it only gets better! :)

[lillymom]

That's going to be what most of your clinical experience will be. Talk to your instructor and let them know what exactly you would be interested in and maybe if they see a pt. like that they will assign them to you. When I was in clinical I kept getting stroke pt's and I talked with my instructor about it and she made up a paper with all our names on it and asked us to put the admit Dx on it so we would get more of a variety. It was also a small unit so we often asked if we could float to another unit and they allowed us each to do rotations on other units.